A Mililani couple bought a new oven and tried to keep it clean by lining the inside with foil. Then the aluminum adhered to the bottom, scarring the brand-new $1,100 appliance.

A search of the Internet revealed that a number of consumers quoted in various message boards said they have done the same thing and been stuck with some ugly results. And yes, there's a lot of folks ready to suggest all customers should "read the manual."

But foil, in an oven? That's a practice that's been around for decades. Apparently, modern foil can bond to ovens.

But rather than be upset later, it appears to be good advice to at least skim through the manual for any warnings prior to using any new appliance.

(A number of consumers also propose that manufacturers could help avoid stress, anger and confusion by putting a peel-off label on the oven bottom to help alert people to the danger — and build some customer goodwill.)

The big name in foil — Reynolds — specifically advises against lining the bottom of ovens with foil.

According to Reynolds' Web site: "To avoid possible heat damage to your oven, we do not recommend using aluminum foil to line the bottom of your oven. Rather, we recommend that you place a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil on the oven rack beneath the pie or casserole you are baking. The foil should be only a few inches larger than the baking pan to allow for proper heat circulation. The foil will catch any drips before they reach the oven bottom."

JEWELRY STORE UPDATE

You may remember last year's closing of the landmark family-owned Kakesako Brothers jewelry store. When last we wrote about the store, the family was getting out of the business and longtime staff members were hoping to re-open later.

Longtime customers who haven't heard can find the friendly folks who worked at Kakesako Brothers downtown again but now at Margie's Jewelers in Suite 115 on the ground floor of Pioneer Plaza on Fort Street Mall.

Former Kakesako store manager Margie Nishimura and the other key staffers opened the new store on Aug 8 of last year.

"We're continuing the same way as Kakesako Brothers: Watch repair, jewelry repair, fair prices and the same friendly service," Nishimura said.

She said they've felt the downturn in the economy but more people are finding them.

"We still have our loyal customers coming back," Nishimura said.

The store is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

OVEN MYSTERY SOLVED

We also heard back from Pearl City resident Curtis Schryer who last year shared his story of his family's microwave oven suddenly blowing up and his efforts to find out what happened and get someone from the manufacturer to look at the damaged oven.

Earlier, he got a check reimbursing him for the new General Electric microwave he bought from Home Depot to replace the one that blew a hole through the top.

Late last year, Schryer got word from GE engineers that a part called the "stirrer" had stalled in one position and caused the problem. That's the fan-like device that helps distribute the microwaves evenly throughout the oven.

Schryer felt better after talking on the phone to the engineers who analyzed his oven. "They said that's the only such failure in the hundreds of thousands or perhaps millions sold," he said.

Schryer said he's glad he kept asking until he found out more.

And he's happy to hear that the problem he had isn't a common one, even if it took months to find out. "Most people would have given up, but I'm ornery," he said.

Some consumer issue making you ornery? Tell us more.

Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2429.